You are Brave

That is the single comment I hear the most when I tell people I have permanent eyeliner.  If you're not sure exactly what that is, it's basically where they tattoo on your eyeliner. 

 

Oh the pain!  Oh the agony!  Will this torture ever stop?!?!?

Ok, so really, it's not that bad.  But I have to give you readers a hard time every now and then. 

 

So when we decided to go cruising all I could think about was how I still wanted to look like a girl.  I didn't want to be one of those women who let themselves go because they live on a boat (you've all met a women like this before).  I've been lucky to run into a lot of women who still pride themselves on looking good.  Yes, it's a different version of good than an evening dress and updo, but didn't we all partially choose cruising to get away from that pretentiousness?  The boat women I know look healthy, happy, and beautiful. 

 

I realized that makeup was probably not something that I would spend a lot of time on out anchoring, but I didn't want to give it up completely.  So I started researching permanent makeup.  And I did A LOT of research.  I'd seen some friends with really good makeup, and I'd seen some friends who had spent thousands getting their first session corrected. 

 

Upon deciding on an artist I rushed directly to the Salon on my day off.  I didn't want to chicken out because I was sure if I had to wait too long I would find an excuse to miss the appointment.  So Chicken Little, drove straight over and made an appointment.  They couldn't get me in for a few hours so I went next door and had my nails and toes done.  Nothing like a few hours of people rubbing on your legs and feet to relax you. 

 

It was honestly a lot different than I expected.  The first 30 minutes are spent with them numbing you.  The technician applies a gel and sits a steamer right over the area.  The steam opens up the pores and makes the numbing more effective.  After 20-30 minutes they come in and open up the skin in several dots w/ the tattoo gun, apply more gel and you wait about 10 more minutes. 

 

Then it begins....

 

So it's not that painful, there are only a few time when you feel the prick of the needles.  Instead there is an uncomfortable pressure and vibration.  I think because it's right on top of your eyeballs that it makes it a tad worse.  I'm thinking eyebrows would be pretty darn easy.  The tattooing itself didn't last that long, maybe 20-30 minutes.  And my technician used saline to rinse off the area instead of rubbing (which is what causes most of the swelling and bruising).  I was lucky and she kept me talking the entire time, so it passed by fairly quickly.  I was a little afraid that I was going to have to have my eyes open for the bottom liner to be done, but I didn't so I was super happy. 

 

Here's my eye an hour after she finished

 

I was a little sore and swollen afterwards, but not that much.  The soreness only lasted a few hours.  The color is much darker and looks wet the first few days, then it starts to flake off and you can see the actual tattoo underneath.  You can go back in for a touch up at 3 weeks and I did to even out and darken a few places.  The touch up doesn't take near as long and is pretty easy.

 

If I had been smart I would have taken an ibuprofen before my first appointment.  And being relaxed really helps, but don't drink alcohol because it thins the blood.